Jimmy Shergill bags Applause Entertainment series, Shehzad gets praise from the mastermind, Pooja shares this common thing with Erica and Parth, and other Telly updates

MUMBAI: The festival of lights, Diwali, is here, and TellyChakkar brings you all the new and fresh news from the world of television.

Juhi Parmar begins a new journey with Tantra

Actress Juhi Parmar, who is still known for her role in Star Plus’ KumKum and was last seen in Shani in a double role, is set to come back on screen via a supernatural show. Her last soap Shani went off air earlier this year in March after which the actress has been spending time writing a mother blog and giving insights into the life of a single parent for which she has also been receiving tremendous appreciation. Recently, Juhi took to social media and wrote that a new journey has begun with her new show Tantra.

Actress Sana Saeed is revisiting and celebrating her throwback memories. A few weeks ago, her first film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai completed 20 years. Also, five years ago, she appeared in the dance-based reality show Jhalak Dikhlaa Jaa. Sana not only participated in the show, but performed well, too, where her choreographer was none other than Tushar Kalia.

Pooja Baneerjee shares this common thing with Erica and Parth

One of the key components of a successful show is not just the on-screen chemistry of the cast but also how they bond off the screen. Actress Pooja Banerjee, who plays the role of Nivedita Basu in the show Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2, was asked about the common interest that she shares with her co-stars Parth Samthaan and Erica Fernandes and she said that she shares food as the three of them love to eat.

Gouri Tonnk roped in for Colors’ Tantra

Producer Siddharth Kumar Tewary is soon coming up with a supernatural thriller named Tantra. The show will air on Colors. The promo of the series is already out and has an ensemble cast of Manish Goel, Juhi Parmar, Sargun Kaur, Nayan Bhatt and Farida Dadi. A per media reports, actress Gouri Tonnk, who was last seen in Mohi, has been roped in to play an important character in the tele soap. She will be seen playing the role of Sargun's chachi, Sunaina in the show.

Garima Jain bereaved

Garima Jain, who was part of Colors’ Internet Wala Love, is nursing her soul’s wounds. The actress lost her father. She shared an Instagram post with her fans.

Actress Kajol Srivastava, who is best known for her role in Colors' mythological drama Karamphaldata Shani, is all set to enter a new phase of her life. According to a leading daily, Kajol is all set to get engaged to Ankit Khare. The actress plans to get engaged on 24 November.

Sphereorigins has started work on a web-series for Sameer Nair led Applause Entertainment. The series will have a backdrop of UP and director E Niwas, who ventured into the Telugu film industry under the mentorship of ace filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma, will be directing it. Popular Bollywood actor Jimmy Shergill, known for films like Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai, Maachis, Mohabbatein, A Wednesday etc, will enter the web space with this project. As per a reliable source, “The series which is slated to go on floor in January next year has finalized Jimmy to play a pivotal role.”

Seema Pandey has high expectations from Kaal Bhairav 2

It was the concept of the show that convinced actor Seema Pandey to be a part of Ravindra Gautam’s Kaal Bhairav 2. The actor says that people will be able to relate to the show. “The title is very catchy of course, and it actually connects with people immediately. It even sounds very mysterious. Most of the Indian people are aware that Kaal Bhairav is known for black magic or evil powers, so it is interesting,” she says.

Talking about her role, she adds, “I'm playing the Maharani who is the hero’s mom. My character is the queen and there is no king, so everything is handled by the queen, that's me. She is the only ruler. I will get to play many shades and it is a very strong character. It portrays women power in a very different way.”

Associating herself with her character is a challenge for Seema. “Actually, the story of Kaal Bhairav is like a fairy tale, so we cannot relate such stories to our real life. It is quite difficult to relate yourself as an individual because such characters are not realistic. But the thing is that the character which I am playing is very straightforward, like the way I am in real life. So, that is how I relate to my character,” she says.

The actor has a lot of expectations from the show. “Kaal Bhairav's first season had received a very good response so we are trying very hard to get much more TRPs this time. I haven't seen the first season but whatever we have shot till now, it is really interesting. We are even shooting at different places like Indore, Maheshwar, and Rajkot palace. The locations are amazing and the whole team is treating us really well. So, hoping for the best,” she says.

She likes working with Ravindra Gautam as well. “He is so cool, I am loving it. I used to assist Gautam Adhikari, so I can feel his presence in Ravindra Gautam. I'm really enjoying my work and the ambience on the set. Everyone is very cool, calm and friendly,” she says.

Dhanteras is an official shopping day for me: Shweta Rohira

As she gears up for the festivities this year, actor Shweta Rohira has big plans for Dhanteras. The actor says the day has always held a lot of significance for her. “Dhanteras is one of the most auspicious days of the year. It is said that whatever you buy on this festival will reap rich benefits for you in the long run,” she says.

Well! Dhanteras means going on a shopping spree as well! “For me, Dhanteras is an official shopping day, so the list is huge. In our family, besides gold and silver, we buy electronic appliances too. A coffee machine is on the top of my list of many things that I am buying this Dhanteras,” she shares.

She adds, “Where gold and silver are concerned, I love temple jewellery. It’s more like a ritual to take something on those lines.”

Kal Bhairav 2 clarifies that there is no superstition: Ravindra Gautam

After his last successful show Meri Durga, producer Ravindra Gautam is already on to his next venture. The producer-director’s next show is a mythological drama called Kaal Bhairav 2, and he is very excited about it. “Kaal Bhairav is again a very different subject for me. The name may sound mythological but it is a very progressive and a modern show where we tackle issues like superstition. It is a modern day story. Basically, Kal Bhairav 2 clarifies that there is no superstition, it is against superstition. It is a very progressive show. The channel approached me and it was due to this that I took it up,” he says.

While the first season of the show also did well, the second one is very different, says the producer. “It's a different story, the first season also talked about the same thing though. The only thing is that the story is different. We have tried to put in a very good amalgamation of romance, royalty, the common man and today's contemporary way of living. It is based in Madhya Pradesh and has a mixture of city and village life,” he says.

The show stars biggies such as Gautam Rode and Aditi Gupta. “They fitted the characters. They bring value to the projects’ subject, so that is why we selected them,” he says.

Ask him how it is to direct as well as produce the show, and he says, “It gives me a good edge about how to use my money and where to use my money in the most productive manner. I have the creative freedom as well. I don’t have to ask anyone.”

Tennis Premier League success bash, a rocking affair

Not only did Kunal Thakkur and Mrunal Jain’s Tennis Premier League have a star-studded launch with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as the chief guest, but the success party was also indeed a rocking affair as well. The party was held at 1701 Gastro Pub, India's one of the largest pure veg resto lounges in Juhu and had Mrunal, Kunal as well as Horra Luxury co-founder Parimal and wife Riddhi Mehta in attendance.

An ecstatic Kunal says, “I want to take this opportunity to thank all those who have stood by us and helped make this dream a reality. We could not have done it without the support of all those who are present here today. Our hard work has paid off and it’s finally time to celebrate!” While, Mrunal adds, “I am grateful to all my team owners (Ramku Patgir, Shyam Patel, Shailesh Alaghiya, Raj Dholakia, Mahesh Danannawar, Sneh Patel and Raju Mavani) for understanding our initiative and coming forward to make this league a success in the first year itself. Tennis means a lot to both Kunal and I, and we are so happy that we have been able to help this game reach many more people.”

Today was an amazing day for actor Shehzad Deol in Vikas Gupta’s Ace of Space. The actor’s team took part in the first task of the show. Every team was given one podium with a buzzer that they had to protect and one member of each team had to run and try to press another team’s buzzer simultaneously. There came a time, at the end of the game, when Shehzad had to protect his buzzer as well as try to press the other team’s, on his own. He put up a major fight, even though he was alone. In fact, he even managed to get some praise from the mastermind himself!

Another major turn of events for Shehzad is his interest in co-contestant Mayesha. The two kept passing flirtatious comments to each other. It was really nice to see Shehzad finally get comfortable in the house!